Need help Reformatting please...

[~*~Br0k3n~*~]

I started having problems bout 3 weeks ago,comp just kept shutting off on me;didn't matter what I was doing at the time or if I was even connected to the internet or not.It will run for maybe 20 mins if I'm lucky then shuts off,won't let me restart it for 20-30 mins...

I have an emachine T6420 with a AMD Athlon 64 Processor 3400+
Hard Drive is 200GB & it has 1024MB of memory
I run windows xp version 2002,service pack 2
I use McAfee

I first thought that I needed to reinstall windows xp (have a system recovery CD that came with comp,is only thing that came with it)...so I did (4 diff times)...took forever to do it each time cause it kept shutting down on me.I have tried to restart it in safe mode...when I tried it using windows xp media center edition,it told me that a <windows root>\system 32\hal.dll file was missing...when I tried it using windows,it does let it go into safe mode,but it STILL shuts off.

I simply want to reformat it,so I can start all over...I'm going to assume it can be done,I just need some help it doing it so I don't mess the comp up worse than it already is...It's useless to me as it sits & I have already lost everything I used to have on it so THAT isn't an issue...getting it back to "normal" is my main concern.The ONLY disk I have for it is a Microsoft Windows Xp Media Center Edition 2005 System Recovery CD/DVD that came with it.

ANY help that anyone has or any suggestions on WHAT I should do will be greatly appreciated...

[contrex]

You may have a hardware problem - cpu, motherboard, PSU, memory. When you say it "shuts off" do you mean it completely switches off, just like if you pulled the plug out of the wall socket?
 

[ilikemycomputer]

It sounds like its overheating. Did you check all fans? CPU, PSU, and any other case fans??

-Cheers

[~*~Br0k3n~*~]

yes,it shuts off as if u had simply pulled the plug on it...all the fans seem to be working properly,I have took the side of the case off & cleaned them,still does the same thing...

[contrex]

I think you will need to take it to a repair place.

[patio]

You may want to consider replacing the Power Supply...eMachines are notorious for using underpowered cheap PSU's...
But do yourself a favor...don't buy one of those 20 dollar boxes or you will be faced with the same issues.

[arummani]

i think that u hvvvv given the time delay of the power options whjich is advanced in nowadays computers , just unselect the option,  ur machine wont restart for ever , ok

[contrex]

i think that u hvvvv given the time delay of the power options whjich is advanced in nowadays computers , just unselect the option,  ur machine wont restart for ever , ok

What does that mean?

[modded down - incomprehensible] as we say on Slashdot where the users are the mods

[ilikemycomputer]

ddnt make sence to me 

[jim.mar]

I SUGGEST YOU FOLLOW "PATIO'S" ADVICE.   I HAD A HOME BUILT MACHINE ACTED EXACTLY LIKE YOU DESCRIBE.  INSTALLED LARGER PS, PROBLEM WENT AWAY.  GOOD LUCK